Tips and Advice: Writing the first 10 pages

Sourced from: http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting-101/screenplay/first-ten-pages

When it comes to screenwriting, the first ten pages are some of the most important, as they have to engage the audience so can't be dull or meandering. You must maximize script economy and move the story forward immediately because you’ve only got about 10 pages to accomplish five major components:

• Establish the tone/genre (comedy, fantasy, etc.)
• Introduce your main character: (interesting, flawed, empathetic)
• Clarify the world of the story and the status quo.
• Indicate the theme or message (Good vs. Evil, Man vs. Nature, etc.)
• Set up the dramatic situation (what the story is going to be about.)

There is no absolute order in which these five rules are applied. 

Often a screenplay begins with main character and his/her status quo, but sometimes the dramatic situation comes first, and occasionally all five elements will be covered in one scene alone. The important this is that these five core elements are executed well and established early on.